An old memory
by BlackFlower MistyClan
Summary: This is an one-shoot about Eaglepaw and his future ways after his first battle. (Story is better than the summary)


"Eaglekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." announced Proudstar. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Eaglepaw. Your mentor will be Applestorm. I hope Applestorm will pass down all she knows on to you."

A beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat came forward. Her red flashes were shining in the pale sun of dusk. Her amber eyes were full of proud. Her white tail was straight. She was very beautiful, only one thing wasn't suitable for the junior warrior. Over her face was a big scar that went over her shoulder and it ended on her underbelly. Eaglepaw knew her story. When she was a junior apprentice, a dog injured her pretty bad. Every cat though that she was going to die, but they were wrong, here she's! A strong, hard-musculate cat ready to join her first apprentice.

"Applestorm," continued the leader, "you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Snowdusk, and you have shown yourself to be strong and wise. You will be the mentor of Eaglepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

The cats touches noses and all LeafClan's cats were creating the new apprentice.

Only three days passed when Eaglepaw woke up because of a terrible scream! He was out of his den in a flash.

All the cats were gathered near the enter of our Camp. Near the Gorse tunnel was a beautiful white she-cat. Her pelt was covered in blood and mud, she was screaming and crying.

"What's this!" Proudstar said approaching them. "Who are you and what had happened to you?"

"Please, please! Help us, help us! Everyone is fighting! Blood, everywhere is only blood... Russetstar is ill. He wouldn't survive now! Please..." she shivered and fall down to the ground.

Pigeondot, the medicine cat, come and helped the little and fragile cat.

Very well everyone, Applestorm and Eaglepaw, go with some warriors and help them, Ferretail, you should go too!" Proudstar announced.

The cats were leading to the moors where PoolClan was. It was a cloudy sky like the situation that the cats were fighting with.

When they arrived in the PoolClan's Camp everything was cough in chaos. Cats were fighting and the grass was red of blood.

Eaglepaw froze. This was his first battle, he wasn't ready for this. Everything in front of his eyes was red. He couldn't even move his paws.

"Come," Applestorm said, "Come and show them what you have learned."

"But...But I don't think I am ready. It's... it's too much... too much blood and chaos..."

"Be brave my dear, this is StarClan's will. Now come, the battle is waiting for us." Applestorm encouraged him and left, living him alone surrounded by battling cats.

Not far away from him was Cottoncloud, the beautiful medicine cat of PoolClan. She was fighting, her white fur was a mess. She was trying to fight but this wasn't her duty, she wasn't trained to kill, only to heal.

Eaglepaw start approaching her. "Cottoncloud! Run! Help your patients." The medicine cat nodded and ran.

Before he could even move, he saw himself on the ground. A huge tom was on top of him. Eaglepaw tried in vain to run.

"Let him go, Whiteclaw!" cried a voice near him. "Eaglepaw! Run!"

The apprentice got up and saw his mentor fighting with the warrior. He started to run. Accidentally he bumped into another cat. It was a little tortoiseshell she-cat. She was from Creekclan, but obviously she wasn't old enough to be an apprentice.

"Please! Please! Don't kill me!! I... I..." her voice died.

"Calm down little one. I am Eaglepaw. What are you doing here? Are you hurt?"

"I am Tortoisepaw. Lionstar told me that I have to come in this fight if I want to be a good warrior."

"Go home and never come back. It's safer there."

Tortoisepaw looked at him confused. But then she vanished and disappeared into the bushes. Eaglepaw was happy to know that the little cat was safe.

But the battle wasn't over yet. He spotted Applestorm. She was fighting with all her hreart. Her enemy made a big jump and he was on top of her ready to bite Applestorm's neck. Eaglepaw waited no second. He lunched himself on the tortoiseshell cat. It was so surprised that he didn't have time to defend itself. Applestorm and Eaglepaw were fighting together. In a moment of nattention, the cat slipped and hit its head on a sharp rock.

Blood covered its face. It stayed still. "What we've done? Is it dead? I killed him?" Eaglepaw said in terror.

"It wasn't your fault. It was an accident. Come, let's help the others." Applestorm said.

With a last glance, Eaglepaw followed his mentor who was already in another fight. He stared at the battle around him. The only thing he could distinct were the claws, the fangs and the blood. He wasn't attention and bumped into a cat.

"You!" she said with a strong voice, "I don't care in witch Clan you are but please help me to find my son. He is a tortoiseshell cat from CreekClan. This is his first week as a warrior and I can't find him anywhere."

The apprentice froze. A tortoiseshell from CreekClan? Like the cat he just killed?! Great StarClan!

"I ... He ... I didn't want to ..." Eaglepaw rambled, unable to talk. He turned around and ran faster than ever before.

He want to leave all the chaos, all the battling cat. He wanted to run and hide and never come back. It was just too much for him.

When he was just a little kit, near his mother belly, he imagined him what a good warrior he will be, the best! But now, when he realized what means to be a warrior ... he was afraid about the future.

Only two sunsets passed when Proudstar announced, "all the cats old enough to catch his own prey come near me!" she waited until all the cats were gathered and continued. "I was announced by Eaglepaw about his future. Eaglepaw! Are you sure you want to be a medicine cat apprentice?"

All the cats looked at him impatience. "Yes, yes I it is! With all the respect for my mentor, Applestorm, I want to heal not to kill! I want to be a healer not a killer!"

"Big words from a little cat. I approve wit you. Pigeondot, Eaglepaw is now your apprentice!"

"And with this, Eaglepaw, now Eagleheart, found his own way in his life. He understand what wars were and he didn't want to be a part of them. And that's the story for today, Eaglekit." the old brown elder told to the kit.

When Eaglekit left, a tortoiseshell she-cat with a big, deep scar over her face, shoulder and underbelly, said: "Well, what a nice story Oldeagle, it reminds me of an old memory."

"Me too, my dear Littleapple. Indeed, an old memory..."


End file.
